Please Don't Hand the Internet Over to the Gatekeepers

The Department Of Justice says it is opposed to Net Neutrality because

"it could hamper development of the Internet and prevent service providers from upgrading or expanding their networks."

The problem with this is that now instead of the internet being open, these companies now get to discriminate who gets online, who gets to use their services and at what speed. Gatekeepers (large corporations) will stifle innovations because they will control flow of information to benefit their bottom line. Sound familiar?

The Internet should remain decentralized and an open platform where people can access and search any content they opt for; download services and applications they want, and use devices of their choosing.

Everything from the ideas involved in the creation of the Internet to the software, hardware and the pipes and wires that go to people’s homes is the result of public enterprise, designed to promote equality and level the playing field. We have the same networks that the cable companies have, yet our President and the Department of Justice want to hand it over to the big corporations because the future is going toward the internet and these companies want to profit and gain the extra revenue that does not belong to them.

In addition, Net Neutrality interferes with the Bush agenda.

"“It would seem that the president and the Justice Department cannot do enough for AT&T and the other companies that agreed to spy on the American people. Without network neutrality, companies are free to turn over user information without a warrant or to block users from desired content,­ as AT&T recently did ‘accidentally’ by blocking Pearl Jam’s criticism of the president during a concert performance carried on AT&T’s broadband service." -- Harold Feld, senior vice president of Media Access Project